As Long Term Evolution (LTE) wireless communication networks evolve, network operators would like to reduce the cost of overall network maintenance by minimising the number of RATs (Radio Access Technologies). Machine-Type Communications (MTC), between MTC devices in the network, is a market that is likely to continue to expand in the future due to the rise of applications such as a smart metering, commercial fleet tracking, etc. transmitting and receiving data. In an example, many existing MTC devices (e.g. MTC User Equipments) are currently targeted at low-end (e.g. low average revenue per user, low data rate) applications that can be handled adequately by GSM/GPRS (Global System for Mobile communications/General Packet Radio Service) networks. Owing to the low cost of these MTC devices and the good coverage of GSM/GPRS, there has been very little motivation for MTC device suppliers to use modules that support the LTE radio interface. However, as more MTC devices are deployed in the wireless communication network, there will be an increased reliance on the existing GSM/GPRS networks. Thus, this will cost network operators not only in terms of maintaining multiple RATs but it will also prevent operators from reaping the maximum benefit out of their spectrum, especially given the non-optimal spectrum efficiency of GSM/GPRS.
Given the likely high number of MTC devices in the future, the overall resource they will need for service provision may be significant and inefficiently assigned. Therefore, it is desirable to provide, for example, a low cost and low power MTC device which has a simple operational procedure to enable low operational cost to MTC operators and which can facilitate migration of MTC devices from the GSM/GPRS networks to LTE networks.